Letter: Armed guards for our schools

Another grotesque and senseless school massacre took place on Dec. 14, 2012 when Adam Lanza entered Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newton, Conn. and opened fire.

A.C. ByrdLansing

To the editor:Another grotesque and senseless school massacre took place on Dec. 14, 2012 when Adam Lanza entered Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newton, Conn. and opened fire. He left 20 first-graders and six adults of Sandy Hook school dead.

The first school massacre took place in 1994 when Tate Langdon murdered 15 students at Westfield High School. That incident caused the mass hysteria that rushed in the "Gun Free School Act of 1994." The act was signed Oct. 20, 1994. I remember is quite well and a repeat is going on now following the Sandy Hook killing spree.There were no mass school killings in the U.S. before 1994 and during the 28 years since there have been numerous killings, all in "Gun Free School Zones." The cry is to ban guns. My suggestion is to repeal the Gun Free School Act. I blame the federal government for these senseless killings and accuse the news media as complicit by their handling of the news, reinforcing sick people to become copy cats.I have been in all of the high schools in Leavenworth County and not one of them I would consider secure and are prime for a shooting incident. Leavenworth High School is probably the most secure as it does have an officer on duty. The officer appears unarmed but I am sure the service weapon is secured close at hand. Why not on the officer in full view? Are we so afraid that our students would be so scared of the sight of a firearm that they would freak out and pee in their pants just from the sight of a firearm?

Everyone from an early age should be made aware of firearms and what they can do for good as well as bad. Guns exist and are not going away.

Each school has the typical gun-free zone and instructions to report to the office. Supposedly all doors are locked during school hours and only one entrance. Much can take place between the entrance door and the office, if the person intent on mayhem even goes to the office.With the publicity 24 hours a day round the clock after Sandy Hook there are already sick people planning attacks that would create more casualties than any one before. In their minds it would make them a hero even if suicide ended the tragedy.

Take a scenario of the Leavenworth High School for an example. During the rush period at noon or while other heavy traffic is in the hallways a gunman can enter the one open door, stroll down the hallway to the check-in desk and take out the officer before he can secure his weapon. At that point the school becomes a free fire zone with no interference with his intent until 15-20 minutes later the police arrive.

Wayne LaPiere of the NRA made solid recommendations to assist the school with security but there is NO way the schools can ever be made totally secure. Someone will find a way. There isn't enough money available to provide that security.

During Sandy Hook teachers stepped forward and were willing to die for their kids; are these same teachers ready to kill to protect the kids? Volunteer airline pilots are now voluntarily trained and armed to protect their plane load of passengers. Wouldn't it be great if our teachers were also willing to train to kill to protect our children? This would make more sense than piling more funds into creating a false sense of security that will only lead to more massacres.

Arming members of the staff with a handgun won't be 100 percent effective against a determined criminal shooter. But not having a weapon during a shooting situation will be totally ineffective against a shooter that has no regard for human life.

Sister Publications

Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted.
The Leavenworth Times - Leavenworth, KS ~ 422 Seneca St., Leavenworth, KS 66048 ~ Privacy Policy ~ Terms Of Service